Airship.



C. PETERSON.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11. [916.

1,21 8,456. Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

5 snens-suezr 1.

Z%O wza 62W. w 3:; y WW,

1n: NORRIS r211: m. Piomrmu" wAsumn ran. 1av c.

244., AERONAUTICS C. PETERSON.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11. I916.

1,21 8,456. Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- an I Q L'harlv'eJ'eterson WWW/ In: NORRIS PETERS ca. rnowumm. WASNINGIUN. n c.

C. PETERSON.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION man JAN. n. 1916.

1 ,21 8,456. Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- m: Mounts rzrzns co. 'MOYv-LITNO WASNINGYON. n c.

AtHUNAU l IUS a 252W C. PETERSON,

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. II, 1916.

l ,21 8,456. Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

3440a" toz 6710/12 116 Pa tercion,

way. myw.

m: mmms PETER! cu. nmmuma. WASN V 24%.AtHUNAUlIUS II II I mventez 07201"! iefafifiraam my W.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 C.PETERSON.

AIRSHIP APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17, I916.

MUN H \N y m v RQ kg \w yum UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLIE PETERSON, OF FLORENCE, VI'ISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HARVEY WEALTH, WISCONSIN.

OF COMMON- AIRSHIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

Application filed January 17, 1916. Serial No. 72,521.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLIE PETEnsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Florence, in the county of Florence and State of Visconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Airships of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved air-ship embodying a monoplane, a biplane and a hy droplane, so that the air-ship can be operated from and landed on either land or water.

One object of the invention is to effect improvements in the construction of the airship so that the same can be closed to form a parachute and enable it to safely descend at any time.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved air-ship in which stability is secured, a very large plane surface is provided and which is also adapted to ascend directly in the air without the necessity of taking a starting run along the ground or water, and which can be also directed upwardly by first taking a starting run in the usual way.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air-ship embodying pontoons of novel construction for floating the air-ship on water, preventing the same from capsizing and also adapting the air-ship to be started from and landed on the earth also as may be desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide cushioning connections between the frame of the air-ship and the pontoons or landing elements thereof which prevent concussion by absorbing shocks and hence prevent injury to the frame or other parts of the air-ship when the same is landed.

Another object is to effect improvements in the propelling mechanism of the air-ship so that the same may be started upwardly either by first taking a starting run or directly upwardly without the necessity of taking a starting run.

Another object is to provide improved controlling means for operating the movable planes of the air-ship.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of an air-ship constructed in accordance with my inventron.

Fi 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a plan of the same.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same.

Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal sectional view of the same, showing the means for controlling the propellers and also showing the means for operating the side planes.

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical longitudinal sectional View of the controlling means for the front and rear adjustable planes.

Fig. 7 is a detail plan of the steering mechamsm.

Fig. 8 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of one of the pontoons or floats.

Fig. 9 is a detail transverse sectional view of the same.

The frame 1 of my improved air-ship is of oblong rectangular form and is provided at its front and rear ends with downwardly extending and diverging members 23 and at its sides with downwardly diverging members 4 which are united to the front and rear members and also to the frame by corner and ridge bars 5. The front and rear members 23 are each provided with a reinforcing bar 6 and short cross reinforcing bars 7. Each side member A has cross reinforcing bars 8 and is also provided in the spaces between said reinforcing bars with crossed braces 9. The frame is hollow or concave, open at its lower side and is closed on its upper side by a fixed main plane 10 and is adjustable by a main plane member 11, the rear side of which is here shown as hinged to "the front side of the main plane at 12. Springs 13 are employed across the joint between the main plane and the adjustable member 11, connected to the former as at 14 and bearing on the latter as at 15 and which serve by their tension to normally raise the front end of said adjustable member and thereby cause it to open the front portion of the frame. Side planes 15 are arranged on the inner sides of the side members 4 of the frame 1 and are pivotally mounted at their lower outer sides as at 16 so they can be lowered, to open the said side frame members and can be raised to close said side frame members 4. The front stabilizing plane 17 is arranged in the front portion of the frame 1 and is hinged at its front end as at 18 to the bar 6 of the front frame member 2. A rear stabilizing plane 19 is arranged in the rear end of the frame and under the same and is hinged at its rear side as at 29 to the bar 6 of the rear frame member 3. Operating cords 21 are provided for the adjustable plane member 11, the said cords engaging direction pulleys 2223 and being attached to drums 24 on a shaft 25 which is mounted in suitable bearings. Said shaft has a miter gear 26 which is engaged by a similar gear 27 on a shaft 28. The shaft also has a reversely' arranged miter gear 29 which engages a similar gear 30 on the lower end of a vertical tubular shaft 31 which is mounted in a bearing 32 in the upper end of a box or casing 33 and is provided at its upper end with a hand wheel 34. It will be understood that by turning the hand wheel the cords 21 will be operated to adjust the main plane member 11 to any desired angle or to close the same downwardly in the frame 1 and arrange it in a common plane with the main plane 10 as may be desired. Said gear 30 is provided on its upper side with a series of locking teeth or stops 35 any one of which may be engaged by the locking arm 36 of a locking lever 37 to hold the adjustable member 11 in any desired adjusted position. The front stabilizing plane 17 is attached to an endless operating cord 38 which is attached to drums 40 on a shaft 41. Said shaft is connected by miter gears 42 43 to a shaft 44 which is connected by miter gears 4546 to the lower end of a vertical shaft 47, which is concentric with the tubular shaft 31 and is provided at its upper end with a hand wheel 48. By turning said hand wheel the cords 38 may be operated to raise or lower the rear side of the front stabilizing plane, to adjust the latter in flight or to close the latter up in the front end of the frame as may be desired. A locking lever 49 similar to the lever 37 hereinbefore described is also provided for coacting with lock teeth 50 of the gear 46 to secure the front stabilizing plane in any' desired adjusted position. The rear stabilizing plane 19 is connected to endless operating cords 51 which engage direction pulleys 52 and are also engaged with drums 53 on a shaft 54. The said shaft is connected by gears 5556 to a shaft 57, which shaft 57 is connected by gears 58-59 to the lower end of an inner tubular shaft 60 and which is arranged in the tubular shaft 31 and is provided at its upper end with a hand wheel 61. By operating said hand wheel the rear stabilizin plane may be adjusted as required in fiig t or may be raised and closed in the rear member of the frame when it is desired to form a parachute and enable the machine to descend safely in the event of an accident to or derangement of the motors or any other essential part of the machine. A locking lever 62 similar to the levers 3749 hereinbefore described is provided for coaction with lock teeth 63 of the gear 59 to secure the rear stabilizing plane in any desired position.

The side planes 15 are connected to endless operating cords 64 which engage direction pulleys 65 and also engage drums 66 on shafts 67 which are parallel with the propeller shaft 68.

By means of friction clutches 69 and gears 69? the said shaft 67 may be connected to the propeller shaft when desired to utilize the power of the engine for operating the side planes. Ordinarily the side planes do not require to be adjusted. lVhen a parachute is to be formed by the frame and planes the side planes 15 must be raised to close in the side members 4 of the frame as will be understood. The engine is diagrammatically indicated at 69 and together with the plane controlling wheels 3461 48 is arranged in a suitable cabin or other structure 70 which is arranged under the center of the frame 1 and below the fixed main frame 10, so that nearly all the weight of the air-ship is below the said main plane and hence the air-ship is effectually prevented from turning over under any conditions. The cabin 70 is arranged on a frame which comprises a pair of longitudinal beams 70 and cross beams 70", said beams 70 being provided with trusses 7 0 on their upper and lower sides and with supports 7 0 for the trusses which are arranged at the intersection of the said beams. Hence the frame is made exceedingly strong and is adapted to carry the weight of the load thereon. The propeller shaft 68 runs to the front end of the frame 1 and is provided with a tractor screw 71. A rear propeller shaft 72 is also provided which is arranged in line with the propeller shaft 68 and has a driving propeller 73 at its rear end. The propeller shafts 6872 are connected together by a reversing gear 74 which enables said shafts to be operated simultaneously either in the same or reverse directions and also enables the front or main propeller shaft 68 to be driven by the engine independently of the rear propeller shaft 72. \Vhen it is desired to raise the air-ship directly upwardly in the air without first taking a starting run, the plane member 11 and the front and rear stabilizing planes and also the side planes 15 are closed the engine started and the reverse gear is arranged to cause the rear propellers to turn in the reverse direction to the front propeller so that the propellers force air inwardly under the frame and planes and hence raise the airship, as will be understood. When in flight the front propeller is ordinarily used and the rear propeller is thrown out of gear by one or either of the propellers may be used, in flight as desired. A pair of rudders 75 are provided at the rear end of the frame and are pivotally mounted at their front ends as at 76 and are provided with forwardly extending tiller arms 77 which are each truck, comprising a wheel 104 and a fork 105 in which the axle of the wheel is mounted. The forks are secured to the lower ends of the piston rod 96 so that the connected together by a rod 78. A tiller 79, trucks may be raised and lowered by the 73 for operation by the feet of the aviator is fluid pressure mechanisms comprising said connected by cords 80 to the tiller arms of cylinders, valves and pistons, to arrange the rudders, said cords engaging direction the trucks in the chambers 93 out of the pulleys 81. Hence the air-ship can be way when the machine is in flight or is used readily steered in any direction. as a hydroplane and to project the trucks 75 A pair of cigar shaped pontoons or floats downwardly and extend their wheels below 82 may be made of sheet metal or other mathe pontoons when the machine is to be terial, and are arranged under the frame raised from or to land on the earth. To and at suitable distances apart and are supguide and hold the truck vertically their plied with compressed air by a suitable air forks are arranged for vertical sliding g9 compressing pump 83 which is operated by movement in suitable guides 106 in oppothe engine. Each pontoon is provided in site sides of the chambers 93. its center with a gasolene tank or compart- The fluid pressure mechanisms for proment 84 from which gasolene may be forced jecting and retracting the truck also form up through pipes 85 to the carbureters of pneumatic cushions therefor "avhicli' serve 5 the engine. The stanchions S6 of the airto absorb the shocks when landing and also ship and which extend down from the sides serve to equalize and distribute the weight of the frame 1 and are connected together of the machine on the trucks. by crossed guys 87 are here shown as tubu- The operation of my improved air-ship 25 lar and each provided at its lower end with is as follows :Initially the air pump is a plunger rod 88 secured thereto as at 89 started in the engine room and the pontoons and provided at its lower end with a piston are filled with compressed air. If the operor plunger 90 which operates in a vertical ator wishes to rise directly from earth he cylinder 91. The said cylinders are arraises the side planes, lowers the adjustable 30 ranged and secured in the pontoons and main plane member 11 so as to cause it, toprovided at their lower ends with openings gether with the main plane to completely 92 so that compressed air is admitted to the close the main frame at the top. He also said cylinders from the pontoons and caused arranges the front and rear stabilizing to force the pistons 90 upwardly. The pisplanes 1719 horizontally to open the front 5 tons and the compressed air containing and rear ends of the machine and having cylinders form cushioning connections beadjusted the reversing gear to cause the tween the stanchions of the air-ship and the front and rear propellers to revolve in opbase members formed by the pontoons and posite directions he then starts the engine serve to absorb shocks when the air-ship is so that the propellers force air into and 40 landed and hence obviates concussions and under the machine from front and rear,

injury to the air-ship when landing. thereby causing such pressure to be exerted In the lower side of each pontoon near the under the plane as to raise the machine in av front and rear ends thereof are truck resubstantially direct vertical line. ceiving chambers 93 which are open at their When the proper height is reached and it 45 lower sides and are formed by cylindrical is desired to move ahead, the adjustable main walls 94 which extend upwardly and inplane member 11 is raised to an appropriate wardly in the pontoon. Each of these chamangle and the front and rear stabilizing hers is closed at its upper side as at 95 and planes 17-19 are arranged at approximately provided with a central opening for the the same angle, and the rear propeller is 50 passage of the vertically arranged piston thrown out of gear. The side planes can be rod 96 of a piston 97 which operates in a left in elevated position or if it is desired cylinder 98. Each cylinder 98 is provided to use the air ship as a biplane, this can be at one side with a chest 99 which communiaccomplished by lowering the side planes cates with one of the compressed air conto an approximately horizontal position,

55 tainer chambers or compartments of the parallel with the main plane. The use of pontoon through a port 100 and in each of ailerons for maintaining the lateral equilibthe said chests is a slide valve 101 toadmit rium of the machine is contemplated, but compressed air to the cylinder either above such ailerons are not here shown as they or below the pistons to elevate or depress the form no part of my present improvement.

60 latter as desired. Each slide valve is pro- If a start is to be made by first taking a run vided With a rod 102 by means of which it the operator employs only the front promay be manually operated to control the peller and arranges the main plane adjustmovement of the piston. able member 11 and the front and rear Each pontoon is provided with trucks 103 stabilizing planes at the required angle or 65 for landing on and starting from the earth, angles, and substantially as shown in Fig. 1.

ile I haveherein shown and described a preferred form of my invention, I would have it understood that changes nlay .be made in the form, proportion and fconstruction of the several parts without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In an air-ship, .a main plane, adjustably mounted longitudinal side planes below and adapted to be arranged either parallel with or at an. angle to the main plane, a pair of longitudinally arranged propeller shafts arranged endto end and each having a propeller, driving means for one of said shafts, means to couple said shafts together and to uncouple said shafts at will, gears to cause said shafts to revolve in reverse directions when desired, and means operated by one of said shafts to adjust said side planes.

2. In an air-ship, a main plane having an angularly movable member at its front end, front and rear planes below the main plane and adapted to be arranged parallel therewith or at an angle thereto, an endless cord connected to each of said front and rear planes, an operating drum and direction elements for each of said endless cords, shafts geared to said drums, a cord to operate the angularly movable member of the main plane, a drum and direction elements for said cord, a shaft geared to said lastnamed drum, and concentrically mounted shafts one for and geared to each of the first named shafts and provided with manually operated turning means.

3. In an air-ship, a main plane. having an angularly movable member at its front end, front and rear planes below the main plane and adapted to be arranged parallel therewith or at an angle thereto, an endless cord connected to each of said front and rear planes, an operating drum and direction elements for each of said endless cords, shafts geared to said drums, a cord to operate the angularly movable member of the main plane, a drum and direction elements for said cord, a shaft geared to said drum, and concentrically mounted shafts one for and geared to each of the first named shafts and provided with manually operatedturning means, and means to lock and release each of saidv concentrically mounted shafts.

4:. In an air-ship a frame having dependingand downwardly diverging end andside members, a main plane on the frame, having an angularly movable member at its front end, front and rear planes below the main plane and adapted to be arranged at an angle to and to close against the end members of the frame and side planes also below the main plane and adapted to be arranged at an angle to and to close against the side members of the frame.

5. In an air-ship a main plane having an angularly movable member at its front end, front and rear planes below the main plane and adapted to be arranged parallel therewith or at an angle thereto, and longitudinally arranged side planes also below the main plane and adapted to be arranged parallel therewith or at an angle thereto.

6. In an air-ship a main plane, adjustably mounted longitudinal side planes be low and adapted to be arranged either parallel with or at an angle to said main plane and propellers to drive air from opposite ends of the air-ship under the main plane and between the side planes to exert lifting force under the air-ship when the side planes are at an angle to the main plane.

7. In an air-ship a main plane, adjustably mounted side planes below and adapted to be arranged either parallel with or at an angle to the main plane, front and rear propellers and means to drive the propellers either simultaneously in the same direction, simultaneously in opposite directions, or one independently of the other.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLIE PETERSON.

Witnesses JAS. J. .POUTBRIAND, ANNA M. JUDGE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

1 Washington, D. G. 

